The Door That Opened
by graciela17
Summary: Alice was the last girl to walk through the hall of the white rabbit. No doors had opened when she found the small key, but one she could not fit through. Now another walks the same hall. The key she finds unlocks another door full of wonders beyond.


**This isn't your average story of Wonderland.. it's a completely different side to it that you've never seen before..**

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><p>The Door That Opened<p>

The last girl to walk through the hall of the white rabbit had been Alice. No doors opened for her when she had found the small key, but the only one she could not fit through. Now another walks the same hall. The key she finds unlocks another door full of wonders just beyond.

The clock kept on ticking

Ticking, ticking…

The clock kept on ticking

Through the dark wooden door

The noise kept an echo

Yes it echoed down the hall

To remind those the past

That they forgot all to often

Remember what happened

It calls to the passer

Remember what happened

On days long ago

It beckons the one that holds the key

It beckons to the one that must see

To see a past that changed the future

To unlock the secrets of what could have been

The parlor of the Rites was filled with the sound of the grand father clock which resided in the right corner of the room. It was an ancient looking thing with its design a style that had once been popular decades ago. Rebecca remembered the repetitive story that old Mrs. Rite had told her about it every time she had visited this wretched house. Now the house its self wasn't wretched looking, but maybe to perfect. Everything was in order, there wasn't a book out of place, and not one piece of dust was overlooked by the mistress of the household. Even though she was growing old in years, her eyes were still as sharp as when she was in her youth.

With a quiet sigh Rebecca impatiently crossed her feet underneath the chair, spread out her dress neatly, and placed her hands on her lap. Her hands _had _been occupied with handling a glass object of a white rabbit. The whole parlor was filled with objects that had been collected over many years.

Finally she heard the slow steps of Mrs. Rite making her way down the long hallway. Rebecca didn't exactly hate her, but the sight of her made her nose wrinkle. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Vershire had forced these meetings with her not long ago. They were intent that Mrs. Rite should take a very strong liking to her so that she would acquire the full inheritance once she married her grandson. Rebecca was not particularly fond of her grandson, Laurence. He was a handsome man, but she knew him all to well that she wouldn't be the only woman in his life once she was married to him.

Now Mrs. Rite sat across from her, after taking her time about making her way over to the chair. She wore an old faded purple dress with black lace, gaudy jewelry and her iron gray hair put up in an attempt to recreate the latest fashion. Wrinkles abounded on her face and she had cold hard black eyes that squinted every so often. Nothing was said between the two which made for a very awkward silence. She shifted her spectacles as she peered at Rebecca with scrutinizing eyes.

"Why Rebecca Jane Vershire, from when I last saw you, it seems as though you must be getting thinner." Was her first reply. "But I suppose after you get married to Laurence, that won't be much of a problem. Women tend to plump up right away after marrying." How rude and forward she was being! How could she assume that she wanted to marry Laurence? Well it didn't help her case that she was visiting her house three times a month. "You know, I always wanted the right young lady to marry my grandson. Ever since his parents died I made sure that I would bring him up proper and I wanted to make sure that the woman that was to be his wife would be just as well brought up." Laurence being well brought up? It almost made her laugh.

Before she could get a word in edgewise with Mrs. Rite, she said, "Now I expect Laurence to be here any moment. He said he wanted to have a private word with you." Rebecca sat there dumbfounded. When had she ever been told that Laurence was coming? Her parents had said that this was just going to be a talk with Mrs. Rite and nothing more. It felt that her future was being made up for her all the time.

"And what does he want to talk about, may I ask?" She said with an irritated tone to her voice.

"Oh…" Mrs. Rite said faltering, "He wanted to speak to you about his and your future." Rebecca sighed, but quietly enough that she wouldn't be able to hear it.

"Mrs. Rite-" she began and was about to tell her something that would have made her eyeballs fall out of their sockets, but was interrupted by none other than Laurence Rite himself.

"Grandmum!" He said calling through door, then turned his head to see they were both seated in the room he had just walked into. Mrs. Rite got up slowly making her way over to Laurence to kiss him on the cheek. He took that kiss almost to willingly! _Most likely trying to play an angel around her while he gallivants around with the ladies._ Rebecca thought despising. As he saw Rebecca he took off his hat and smiled a smile that would have fooled any woman except her. She smiled back coldly. Laurence was tall with dark brown hair done with the utmost perfection, and black eyes just like his grandmother. He was distinguished looking with a light complexion a mouth that seemed to pout along with a rather attractive nose. He wore a black tail coat, a white dress undershirt, long gray trousers and perfectly shined black shoes. He bowed his head toward hers so she stood and curtsied but then sat down with a slump.

"I suppose I'll have to leave you two alone." Mrs. Rite said with a sly smile and walked out of the room more quickly than Rebecca would have thought possible.

"Rebecca." He addressed her.

"Lawrence." She replied back. Then without further delay he let into the strenuous conversation,

"Tell me Ms. Vershire, if you were to marry me, would you be willing to give up your dreams of being an author to be the mother of my children and take care of my house?" He said impertinently. Why how bold of him to say something of that matter! Now Rebecca was having a hard time trying to keep her appearance and actions under control. With a struggle she kept her face calm and cool.

"You are saying, "if" I were to become your wife, are you not?"

"I am." He said patiently.

"Well then I don't know. I have thought of being an author for many years, why would I give it up to marry a man that wouldn't support it." She had intended to shock him, but instead he remained just as calm as she was.

"Think rationally Becca." When had she ever given him license to call her anything other than her full name? "No man in this entire world would want a wife that wouldn't want to take care of his home and family-" She cut him short.

"I would still take care of my home and family if I were an author Mr. Rite." She said haughtily standing up. After she had said that, Laurence went into lecture mode, disregarding what she had just said. Like her father when he gave lectures, he walked over to the window staring out for no apparent reason with his hands behind his back.

"As you know, a woman is suppose to take care of her husbands and his every needs-" Rebecca listened no more, but instead walked around the room idly with her head in the clouds. She cringed at the thought of having to go back home and tell her parents that she had refused Laurence's proposal. "Are you listening?" He said angrily turning around seeing Rebecca pick up the white rabbit and move it around in her hands.

"Of course of course." She said absent mindedly. He turned back around and continued his idiot lecture. Rebecca now put down the white rabbit and walked over to the mirror that hung on the wall opposite of Laurence. She peered at herself. Her rich brown hair, that had Sunkist pieces from walking outside without a hat on -as a proper lady should wear a hat- was put up with pins and the part that hung down was in long curls. She had dark chocolate brown eyes and long dark lashes. Her creamy complexion was not complemented with blushing cheeks, but at least she had a long elegant neck. She was not well busted like some women yet she had a good figure. Ms. Vershire had a few freckles on her nose that were almost gone as she came into adulthood, and she had pink lips that looked ever so enticing. Her dress was a rich red with beautiful designs, maybe to fancy for her liking, but her mother made her wear it this day.

"Ouch!" She said looking down at her foot.

"What is it?" Said Laurence with an impatient tone.

"Something pinched me!"

"Well it wasn't me." He laughed looking back out the window drawling on and on. Now that the pain had stopped she looked back up at the mirror, but where her reflection should have been was replaced by something entirely different. A long hall literally stretched out before her as she stepped back in shock. The walls were a deep burgundy and the floors had small black and white tiles. Between each of the many dark wooden doors were framed pictures of distinguished looking rabbits posed in various ways with clothes on. She looked away from the mirror and back at Mr. Rite to see if he was seeing this, but he was still lecturing. Then something caught her attention from the corner of her eye; the glass white rabbit was jumping up and down trying to get her attention. When he saw that he had caught her eye he now stopped, he was now standing by the grandfather clock his small little glass figure standing up on its hind legs. The white rabbit pointed at the clock just as it struck twelve the sound of it vibrating through her head.

Something was telling her to go through, but she didn't know how she could. So she put out a finger and as it started to touch the mirror it was on the other side of it. Rebecca pulled it back quickly. The white rabbit was now jumping fiercely as if urging her to go through while the clock struck the last three more time. It pointed urgently at the time.

"Rebecca! Stop gazing at yourself in the mirror." Laurence said harshly behind her. "And can someone shut up that horrible clock!" Without hesitation now, she put her whole hand through and found herself being sucked in.

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